About the Author

ROMINA GARBER (pen name Romina Russell) is a New York Times and international bestselling author. Originally from Argentina, she landed her first writing gig as a teen--a weekly column for the Miami Herald that was later nationally syndicated--and she hasn't stopped writing since. Her books include Lobizona and the Zodiac quartet. Romina is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core.

Reviews

FALL 2020 KIDS' INDIE NEXT PICK BUZZFEED, "13 Fantasy Novels You'll Love", "17 Summer Must-Reads For Fantasy Lovers", and "38 Great Books To Read This Summer, Recommended By Our Favorite Indie Booksellers" THE NERD DAILY, "The Most Anticipated 2020 Book Releases" BOOK RIOT, "20 Must-Read 2020 SFF Books", "Most Anticipated Books of 2020", and "Summer 2020 YA Books: Your Reading List is Hot, Hot, Hot"

LATINXS IN KID LIT, "2020 Titles By/For/About Latinx" TOR.COM, "The 25 Most Anticipated SFF Books for the Rest of 2020" SHE READS, "Most Anticipated Books of 2020" Spring 2020 OKRA Pick An Audible and Google Play Best Book of 2020 "In a timely work of magical realism featuring references to Borges and Garcia Márquez, Garber tackles issues of nationalism, identity, and belonging...This layered novel blends languages and cultures to create a narrative that celebrates perseverance." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review) "Garber's gorgeous novel combines the wonder of a Hogwarts-style magic school with the Twilight-esque dynamics of a hidden magical species that has strict rules about interacting with the human world." - BOOKLIST (Starred Review) "This genre-bending mashup will win over fans of swoon-y, suspenseful paranormal dramas." - KIRKUS "A politically exigent #ownvoices novel...with a rich exploration of hybrid identities, it's an astute and absorbing piece of magical realism." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Lobizona somehow loves its genre while simultaneously tearing it apart with werewolf claws, reveling in earthy magic and righteous anger." - NPR.org "Steeped in Argentine folklore of lobizonas (werewolves) and brujas (witches), this is such an important story to tell, and it's also an engrossing read. - BUZZFEED "Lobizona by Romina Garber is the kind of book that digs its claws into you and leaves marks so you don't forget what you just experienced...With Lobizona, Romina Garber is poised to become a strong literary voice of this era." - THE NERD DAILY "Romina Garber's Lobizona is a young-adult fantasy novel of Argentinian folklore that doesn't pull punches highlighting the plight of many undocumented immigrants in the United States." - USA TODAY "Garber blends themes of immigration, oppression, sexuality, and identity seamlessly in this multi-genre fantasy based on traditional Argentine folklore." - REDBOOK MAGAZINE "Garber, who also writes under Romina Russell (Zodiac), uses exquisite prose to build an elaborate, gorgeous world that is likely to appeal to fans of Anna-Marie McLemore and Elana K. Arnold. Manu's exploration of her identity--both in Miami and elsewhere--reflects how Latinx communities have historically been and continue to be affected by U.S. politics. From the book's harrowing opening, Manu is set on a fantastical journey of self-discovery that subverts and reinterprets familiar fairytale tropes." - SHELF AWARENESS

"Lobizona promises a fresh alternative to the werewolf myth, as well as an unflinching exploration of what it means to be the unwanted Other in worlds both real and magical." - TOR.COM "With vivid characters that take on a life of their own, beautiful details that peel back the curtain on Romina's Argentinian heritage, and cutting prose that shines a light on the difficulties of being the 'other' in America today, Romina Garber crafts a timely tale of identity and adventure that every teenager should read."
-Tomi Adeyemi New York Times bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone "Romina Garber has created an enthralling young adult fantasy led by an unforgettable Latinx character Manu. In Manu we find a young girl who not only must contend with the injustice of being undocumented she also discovers a hidden world that may explain her very existence. I fell in love with this world where wolves, witches and magic thrives, all in a rich Latinx setting! Lobizona will surely place Garber alongside the Harry Potters of the world" -Lilliam Rivera, author of Dealing in Dreams and The Education of Margot Sanchez